Andy Street: Humble MD who is never knowingly underpaid | Business | The Guardian Humble MD who is never knowingly underpaid Share on Messenger Close At 9.25am yesterday more than 1,000 shop staff at John Lewis in Oxford Street drifted towards the vast atrium at the centre of the store and peered over the balconies on each floor. Two minutes later they were jumping, clapping and cheering loudly. The retail group's annual bonus, payable to all of them, had just been announced and at 10 weeks' pay it was the biggest for a decade. By 9.35 normal department-store decorum had been restored. The doors were open and there were shoppers to be served. Among the crowd was Andy Street, managing director of the 26 John Lewis department stores; yesterday's bonus announcement ceremony marked the end of his first year at the helm of middle England's favourite shop. It was a vintage year, and Street declares himself "jolly pleased". The first weeks of this year, however, have been rather more challenging. Fashion sales are still well ahead and electronics are also still selling.

But homewares, which Street calls the store chain's "point of fame", are well down as a result of fewer people moving house and therefore not popping in to John Lewis to order big-ticket items such as carpets, curtains and furniture. In all, 21 stores are lagging behind last year's sales numbers and one of the worst performers has been the prestige Peter Jones in Sloane Square. Street says its problems are directly linked to the City. "PJ is hugely related to the success of the City, and City bonus payouts are not what they were last year. So we are not really surprised at what is happening there. We've seen it before and we will see it again." Despite the tougher trading conditions, the chain is planning an unprecedented period of expansion. John Lewis has opened in just one new location this century - Trafford Park in Manchester - but Street is working on plans for up to 24 stores in the coming decade, more than doubling the size of the business. He insists the plan makes sense. "We are here for the long term," he says. "These investments have a 50-year time horizon. Short-term trade is difficult, but am I worried about it?

No." The JohnLewis.com website is going strong (it now accounts for 10% of sales) and online sales are greatest where shoppers are familiar with the stores. So the idea behind the expansion is to fill in geographical gaps. Leicester will be the first, this summer. The chain is also considering a store in Dublin. Street, brought up in Birmingham and the son of two scientists, is a slight and neat man. He walks fast, turns sharply and is bursting with nervous energy. It is hard to imagine him ever being aggressive, but easy to see him as a demanding detail man. He has worked for John Lewis since leaving Oxford with a degree in politics, philosophy and economics in 1985. He considered a career as a social worker, but Birmingham city council turned him down. So did Marks & Spencer. "They probably did the right thing," he says. He started "on the front line, at Brent Cross", and recalls people being far from impressed. "I remember being on the till that first Christmas and friends from university coming in and saying 'God, Andy, what happened? Has everything gone wrong for you?' But I was right and they were wrong." His career, he reckons, "has worked out OK".

His salary, around £500,000 plus yesterday's £100,000 bonus, certainly looks OK. By 1993 he was a store manager in Milton Keynes. "I didn't join with the intention of being here for 20 years, but you really do get the bug," he says. "The fact is, if you stay for three years you are unlikely to ever get out ... Every year over 700 people celebrate their 25th anniversary here." Street is just back from Japan. Japanese department stores "are the best in the world, no doubt about it". He also admires Crate & Barrel in the US, but reckons there isn't a single inspirational British retailer. When pushed, he manages a few good words for the Apple Store and online fashion retailer Asos. Like many John Lewis executives, he speaks of his employer with the same zeal as a missionary would his church: "Even now the thing that gets me out of bed is I genuinely feel we are trying to do something different. This is about showing there is a different business model which is better. That's what motivates us." The business model is indeed different.

The department store chain, and its Waitrose supermarkets sister chain, are owned by the staff. Its mission, rather quaintly, is to maximise the "happiness" of its staff and it does that in part with the bonus - which makes JL staff far better paid than their counterparts in other stores. They also get an array of other perks, including one of the best pension schemes in the private sector. The business model also allows the stores to make far lower profits than investors in public companies would tolerate. "We are fundamentally all trying to do the right thing for the common good," says Street. "That might sound trite, but it does feel that way. We all share in success together. There is no one else that can say that." Unlike most of the middle-aged men who run the UK's high-street store chains, Street has zero swagger. While rival retail rat-packers relish the limelight and revel in the glitter of industry occasions, Street grimaces and says: "I hate it. I absolutely hate it." Slightly struggling for words, he adds: "It is hard ... but I'm quite a humble, self-effacing chap. I am not a great one for showmanship. I know I have to do some of it.

But do I enjoy it? Categorically no." Fun, for Street, is a night out at the theatre or cinema with London friends, or a weekend at his home in Wales. "I love escaping to west Wales. That's where my solace is. I've got a place on a side of a mountain and there is just nothing better than getting up in the morning, looking out at the sheep and walking up the hill." His bonus is going to be used to buy some more land for those sheep. While other retailers might have ambitions to be chief executive of this or chairman of that, or to front a private equity buyout and make millions, Street has none of the above. "This is the best retailer in the UK, so why on Earth would I want to work for anybody else?" he asks, looking quite as though it is the most ridiculous question he has ever heard. But he has thought about life after John Lewis: "If I went to work somewhere else, which I don't intend to, I'd want to do something completely different. I would like to run a national charity, or, eventually, I'd like to run a bed-and-breakfast in Wales. At heart I am a host. I'd be very happy doing that.

CV Education King Edward's School, Birmingham; Oxford University Career 1985 Joined John Lewis as graduate trainee; 1993 store manager, Milton Keynes; 1998 store manager, Bluewater. 2000 became supply-chain director; Andy Street | GBSLEP Andy Street (chair) Managing Director of John Lewis Andy has spent his career at the John Lewis Partnership, joining after graduating from Oxford with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics in 1985. Andy became Managing Director of the John Lewis Division in 2007 and has led the business through times of significant change in both the economy and the retail industry at large. During this time, John Lewis’s gross sales have increased in excess of 50% to over £4bn. It has opened 18 new shops, and the johnlewis.com business has seen annual sales of over £1bn – making the department store one of the UK’s most respected and successful retailers. After initial roles in department stores, head office and manufacturing units, Andy became Managing Director of John Lewis Milton Keynes in 1993, followed by the same role at Bluewater in 1998.

In 2000 he became Supply Chain Director, followed by his appointment to the Partnership Board as Director of Personnel in 2002. In February 2007 Andy became Managing Director of the John Lewis Division, responsible for all activities within John Lewis. In 2014, Andy was named the ‘Most Admirer Leader’ of the year by business magazine, Management Today. Andy is Chair of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), the body tasked with driving economic growth in the region. He is also Vice Chairman of Performances Birmingham Limited, which is responsible for running the city’s Symphony and Town Halls and he is a member of the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group. In June 2015 he was awarded a CBE for services to the economy, in his roles as managing director of John Lewis and as Chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. Andy Street CBE: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg Bloomberg January 04, 2017 2:33 PM ET Commercial Services and Supplies Age Total Calculated Compensation -- Background Mr.

Andy Street, CBE, served as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of John Lewis Partnership PLC and John Lewis plc since February 2007 until October 28, 2016 and served as its Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Street served as Director of Personnel at John Lewis Partnership plc since 2002. Mr. Street was responsible for John Lewis Department Store operations including John Lewis.com. He started his career as a graduate trainee at the John Lewis Partnership ... in 1985. After initial postings in the John Lewis department stores, he became Assistant to the Director of Research and Expansion in 1988. Mr. Street ran one of the Partnership's production facilities before returning to the department store as Managing Director, John Lewis Milton Keynes in 1993. He was the first Managing Director of John Lewis Bluewater from 1998 to 2000 when he moved to Head Office as Supply Chain Director, John Lewis. He serves as the Chair of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. He has been a Lead Non-Executive Director of Department for Communities and Local Government since January 1, 2016.

He has been a Director of John Lewis plc since 2002. He served as an Executive Director of John Lewis Partnership plc since 2002 until October 28, 2016. He was appointed to the Partnership Board as Director of Personnel in 2002. He joined the Partnership in 1985 as a trainee after graduating from Oxford University. John Lewis boss: we will overtake Ikea as Britain's biggest homeware retailer | Business | The Guardian John Lewis John Lewis boss: we will overtake Ikea as Britain's biggest homeware retailer Andy Street says it will knock Swedish company off top spot within four years after spending £14m revamping flagship Oxford Street store Andy Street in John Lewis’s Oxford Street store. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian Tuesday 25 August 2015 13.51 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 25 August 2015 19.01 EDT Close This article is 1 year old Move over Billy and never mind the meatballs, the boss of John Lewis has warned Ikea that the department store is aiming to take its place as Britain’s biggest home and furniture retailer.

Ikea arrived in the UK in 1987 and its warehouse stores have become firmly established as the country’s favourite destination for flatpack furniture, chairs and lighting. However, John Lewis is potentially on course to knock the Swedish company off the top spot after investing millions in a revamp of its home business. In a clear statement of intent, John Lewis will unveil a refurbishment of its flagship Oxford Street store next week. Speaking in the store, Andy Street, John Lewis’s managing director, said: “If you look at the trading results for the last five years, ever since the recession really, we have gained market share significantly. “Now we are clearly second in the market behind Ikea – and clearly first in lots of categories – but we will overtake Ikea . I am not sure exactly when, but I am more than happy to predict it will be within the next four years, at the pace we are closing the gap at the moment.” Ikea will account for 6% of homeware, furniture and flooring sales this year, while John Lewis will have 5.8% of the market, according to the retail consultancy Conlumino.

But if Street succeeds in his ambition, it would be a symbolic moment for John Lewis, and would underline the way the retailer has outperformed its traditional department store rivals, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer, since the financial crisis in 2008. Street claimed the modernisation of the home department in the Oxford Street store, which has cost £14m, will throw down the gauntlet to John Lewis’s rivals and make it the “best in the world”. The revamp includes a new home hub at the centre of the department, covering two floors, that will enable shoppers to digitally place furniture within virtual rooms of their home and design their own carpets and curtains. John Lewis has agreed a deal with West Elm for the popular American home brand to open a shop within the refurbished department. West Elm has one shop on Tottenham Court Road in central London but now plans to open further outlets within John Lewis stores. Street said the overhaul of the home department in John Lewis’s biggest store reinforced the importance of the business to the retailer. About 80% of homewares John Lewis sells are its own brand, far ahead of other departments, and it owns a textile factory in Blackburn.

Street said: “We have always said we have a nice balance between home, fashion and technology, but if we are really honest the area that John Lewis is most famous for is home. I always say home is where the heart is for this business. “We felt, given how technology was changing and how people wanted to look for their individual taste, that we needed to look again and set a new bar for how we are trading.” But he denied that John Lewis was simply trying to beat Ikea by upgrading its home department. John Lewis has 31 department stores and 11 John Lewis at home stores in the UK, while Ikea has 18 stores, with another planned in Reading. Street said: “It is much broader than that. It has got to be better than anything anybody is doing. For lighting, to be very honest, B&Q is the best. So we have got to be better than it there, we have got to be better than Ikea in furniture and we have got to be better than Dunelm in furnishing and fabrics. “We do not believe that anybody has this combination of products and services together. This is how John Lewis must be in home.

We believe this is the best in the world.” Has John Lewis lost the digital-age plot? Read more Street said the home and furnishing market is bouncing back after a slowdown in the runup the election. He said furniture sales had risen by more than 6%. Describing the British consumer as resilient, he said: “There was a real wobble around April and May in home and big-ticket trade, because I think people were just waiting to see. But the encouraging thing is that if you look at our orders in the last couple of months, they are really coming back strongly.” After completing the Oxford Street refurbishment, he will turn his attention to the opening of a new John Lewis store in Birmingham and then to Black Friday in the last week of November, which is expected to be the biggest online shopping day so far in Britain. Street has previously said retailers could reconsider their approach to offering heavy discounts on Black Friday, an American tradition. Last year, the beginning of the Christmas shopping period was marred by in-store scuffles on Black Friday itself, followed by delays to deliveries and a sharp slowdown in sales in the two weeks after the discount day.

But this year, he said John Lewis is preparing for sales on Black Friday to be 20% higher. Street said: “We are planning for about a 20% uplift … so the server capacity we need for online, the staffing rotas for our shops, the deals with all of our suppliers – it is all being done and I expect us to have, as last year, a clear run in the runup to Christmas. That is hard in this logistics world now. “The biggest priority as ever at this time is managing the logistics [for] Christmas. We said it last year, we had a very good Christmas because we coped with that and won confidence from customers. I am dead sure that we are all going to be tested on that again this year and we have got to be in the winners’ enclosure again.” Last month, John Lewis announced that it would introduce a £2 charge for customers to collect online orders under £30 in store, with Street claiming that the business model for online retailing had become “bonkers”. Despite the threat of a backlash on social media, he said shoppers had adapted brilliantly to the change.

He added: “If you had asked what has surprised me in the last few weeks, it would have been that this has been accepted very willingly. I think I may have had one customer correspondence about it. It is almost silent on social media. I am not saying everyone likes it, but I think the argument that says this is a necessity has actually got through. “Some have taken the charge, some are actually probably not ordering and some are clearly consolidating their orders to be above the £30 threshold. I know that in the long term what we are doing will prove to be the right answer for the market.” Retail agnosticism - OpenLearn - Open University Retail agnosticism Retail agnosticism Updated Friday 1st March 2013 Andy Street, Managing Director of the department store chain John Lewis, discusses the future of retail. Talking to Fiona Ellis-Chadwick, Andy Street discusses the future of retail: How do you see the John Lewis Partnership changing over the next decade? What does this change mean for the high street? Do you envisage there being smaller versions of the John Lewis stores? Is the internet an opportunity or a threat to the department store business?

What is the impact of the power of online marketing and social media on high street retailers? Video Andy Street and Fiona Ellis-Chadwick were talking after a recording of The Bottom Line . Text Andy Street: My name’s Andy Street and I’m Managing Director of John Lewis, obviously John Lewis department stores and our internet business. Interviewer: Hello. The high street is changing, it’s adapting to major forces like economic social technology, how do you see the John Lewis Partnership changing over the next decade? Andy Street: Well we are at a time of what I think the textbooks would call discontinuous change, and that’s an exciting time for any established business. So what’s John Lewis doing about that? It’s embracing that change. Very clearly those who try to hold back and prevent the change won’t be here. So for us that means the right store portfolio and that totally integrated with our online business. Interviewer: And what does that actually mean to the high street? Andy Street: Yeah, what it means to the high street or to the customer? Well just let’s deal with the customer first of all.

To the customer it’s got to be that you can shop either by going into the shop, going online, using your mobile phone, ringing up a call centre and whichever way you do it you get exactly the same access to the same John Lewis product and the service and services that go with it. So we say we have to be completely agnostic about which channel people are shopping through. What that then means to the shops themselves is they’ve still got to have the edited choice of product. We’re not going to have millions of things, we’ve got to have what we and our buyers say are best. We’ve got to have really well trained selling partners who can explain what’s right for you as an individual customer and we’ve got to make it really simple to transact in whichever way you want. Interviewer: Do you envisage at any time there being perhaps a smaller version of the store? Andy Street: Yeah, we’ve already gone for a couple of new formats in the last four years. So we’ve got our main full line department stores, big regional centres, like centre of London, centre of Birmingham, centre of Newcastle, and what we are also having is smaller shops, we’re calling them At Home.

They tend to be out of town and that brings the best of the home and electrical assortments, but all of the convenience of supporting the online business as well, so definitely that. And then what we are also beginning to look at is just pick up points, which we’re doing through a partner organisation, we’ve just announced with CollectPlus, and so there’ll be about 5,000 locations around the country where you’ll be able to pick up John Lewis goods. So certainly the change in the way people shop has changed our approach to format. Interviewer: Technology particularly is a strong force that’s been affecting these changes. In the early days we saw specialised ranges, say books, CDs being the things that were delivering success. Do you see operating a department store with a variety of ranges is the internet an opportunity or a threat? Andy Street: It’s a huge opportunity for those that embrace it. For those who try to resist it, it will become a threat.

So let’s be clear, some things are going online much faster than others, you mention books and CDs, but if you look at sort of electrical products now there are about 50 for John Lewis online, for some things it’s slower, but the trend overall is absolutely clear. And what we’ve got to do is say given that trend is happening we’ve got to basically re-engineer our business model to make sure our customers still get the service that they want but at a price we can afford so that we get the right return, and that’s exactly what we’re involved in. Interviewer: Can you give me any other examples of specific opportunities? Andy Street: Yeah. One of the great opportunities is this whole issue of click and collect. So people say the high street will be killed by online, not true. People actually tend to be working in city centres or an out of town centre’s an easy place for them to drive to, so what we’re seeing is the fastest growing method of fulfilling an order is by popping into a shop to pick it up, and so that drives footfall back in. So it’s a great virtuous circle actually. Interviewer: And then how about online marketing?

We know about the power of online marketing for online retailers, but what about the power of online marketing for high street retailers? Andy Street: Yeah. Well it’s a huge growing capability area, and a few years ago we had very small number of people who knew anything about it; it’s now fundamental to our business success. And the most obvious things are the tactics used to get the pay per clicks through, the deals that are struck with Google, the banner site stuff, all of that, but I think, you know, retailers like us are pretty well on there. I think the really interesting thing now is how a brand that stands for lots of things, it stands for service, it stands for responsibility, how the brand gets that message across online as well actually, so that’s the sort of growth in interest area. Interviewer: And how about social media? Andy Street: Oh no, that’s the sort of least clear area, and I don’t think anyone would say they’d yet perfected it, but I think most retailers would say they’re absolutely clear they’ve got to be in on that game, and we certainly are. So if you look at our adverts they’re launched on a social media campaign now. They’re all seen on YouTube.

You look at our customer comments, they’re all there in the social media, so yeah, the brand is being formed in social media and we’re wanting to interact. You can’t direct it, that’s a mug’s game, but at least be part of that conversation. Interviewer: So we can be expecting Tweets from you daily in the future. Andy Street: Not from me, but from John Lewis. People on the brand, you don’t want me certainly. Interviewer: Thank you very much. Andy Street: My pleasure. John Lewis boss, Andy Street, apologises for French remarks - BBC News BBC News John Lewis boss, Andy Street, apologises for French remarks 3 October 2014 Close share panel Image copyright Getty Images The boss of John Lewis, Andy Street, has apologised for describing France as "hopeless and downbeat" and advising people with investments there "to get them out quickly". Quoted in The Times, Mr Street said about France that "nothing works and worse, nobody cares about it." Mr Street later said the comments were not meant to be taken seriously but that he "clearly went too far". He made the remarks at a dinner after his Eurostar train had been delayed.

Mr Street, who has worked for the retailer John Lewis for nearly 30 years, said London was a much more modern place. "You get on Eurostar from something I can only describe as the squalor pit of Europe, Gare du Nord, and you get off at a modern, forward-looking station (St Pancras)," he was quoted as saying. During his trip to Paris, John Lewis' managing director was given an award from the World Retail Congress, which he said was "made of plastic and is frankly revolting." "If I needed any further evidence of a country in decline, here it is. Every time I (see it), I shall think, God help France," he continued at the technology award dinner. "If you've got investments in French businesses, get them out quickly." On Friday Mr Street issued a personal apology, saying: "The remarks I made were supposed to be light-hearted views, and tongue in cheek. "On reflection I clearly went too far. I regret the comments, and apologise unreservedly".

'Senseless' The French embassy in London rejected Mr Street's claims, pointing out that France has the fifth largest stock of foreign direct investment in the world, a total of €1.1 trillion ($1.1tn; £933bn). "Obviously many foreign businesses do not seem to share Mr Street's view," a statement said. Responding to the "nothing works" claim, the embassy said: "Everyone who has lived in France knows that it enjoys world-class public services. Public transport, for example, is excellent, and at a price that Mr Street is unlikely to find in many countries. "People working in France enjoy one of the best healthcare systems in the world. And ultimately, workers' average productivity is higher in France than in many other developed countries," the statement continued. "Mr Street can rest assured that the French government really cares about business! France is the fifth biggest economy in the world, the second in Europe. It would be senseless for any major international business to overlook such a market," it concluded. The French economy has stalled recently with the French finance minister, Mr Sapin, saying recently that growth would remain weak and projecting that the economy would only grow very slightly this year.

John Lewis Partnership - John Lewis Management team Home > About us > John Lewis > Management team John Lewis Management team The John Lewis Board is responsible for and manages John Lewis's commercial activity and develops the strategy and business plan for the company. All board members are appointed by the Chairman of the Partnership. Dino Rocos Lead Director and Operations Director view | close biography Responsible for Logistics, Merchandising and Call Centre functions. Dino joined the Partnership in 1976 as a Sales Assistant at Peter Jones following which he gained a number of internal retail based promotions prior to moving to production as Manager of the Peter Jones carpet workrooms with soft furnishings being added to his responsibilities in 1986. Dino subsequently moved to logistics becoming Distribution Manager at the London based Clearings distribution centre in 1989. During 1990 he acted as Assistant General Manager, Park Royal becoming Assistant to the Distribution Director later that year. In 1991 he was appointed Assistant General Manager (Operations) at Park Royal, moving to the role of General Manager in 1997 and Managing Director in 2001. He took up his present post as Operations Director in August 2010.

Dino will be the lead director responsible for John Lewis operations between 28 October and Paula Nickolds's start date, focusing on the delivery of seamless customer service during the critical peak trading period. Rory Campbell Partnership Registrar John Lewis view | close biography Responsible for ensuring the business upholds the core principles of the Partnership through three key activities: assure, influence and support. Rory joined the Partnership in 2013 and has held a number of Registry positions in our business, most recently as Head of Democratic Engagement, Group and Partnership Services. David Hunn IT Director view | close biography David joined the John Lewis Partnership in 1990 as a Graduate Trainee in IT. David spent his initial career as a developer working on Payroll systems in Group before moving to John Lewis to lead major developments in Retail. Since 2003 he has held a number of senior IT leadership roles across all areas of Retail, including shops, supply chain and online. He took up his role on the John Lewis Management Board in October 2016. Craig Inglis Customer Director view | close biography Responsible for customer experience, creative development and marketing for the John Lewis brand.

Craig started his career in 1992 as a graduate trainee at Thomson Holidays before joining Virgin in 1997 to work in their rail business, where he rose to become Sales & Marketing Director. He joined John Lewis in 2008 as Head of Brand Communications and became Marketing Director in 2010. He joined the John Lewis Management Board as Customer Director in September 2015. He is also a member of the board at the Marketing Society. Mark Lewis Retail Director view | close biography Mark is the John Lewis Retail Director with responsibility for both shop and online operations from September 2015 Mark joined the Partnership in March 2013 as Online Director. Previously, he held roles as the CEO of Collect+ and Managing Director of eBay UK. Paula Nickolds Commercial Director view | close biography Paula has worked for The John Lewis Partnership since joining as a Graduate Trainee at the haberdashery department of John Lewis Oxford Street in 1994. Paula is currently Commercial Director and will become managing director in January 2017.

In her current role, Paula is responsible for John Lewis’s entire product offer, and for delivering and driving the business’s ambition in new shops and services, as well as its international partnerships. Prior to this, Paula joined the John Lewis management board in 2013 as Buying & Brand Director where she was responsible for all elements of the business’s product offer, CSR, marketing and brand identity. In 2009 Paula was appointed Buying Director, Home, where she was instrumental in launching new brands within John Lewis’s own-brand ranges, and for developing the John Lewis at home shop format. Between 2003 and 2006 she held roles as Head of Buying, Furniture and Head of Product Development for Fashion and Home, and prior to this held various positions in the John Lewis buying teams. Bérangère Michel Finance Director view | close biography Responsible for the development of John Lewis' strategy and financial plans, promoting and embedding a culture of risk management across the Division, the evaluation of John Lewis' performance and investments and leading John Lewis Financial Services.

Bérangère joined the Partnership in April 2008 as Group Head of Financial Strategy and was appointed John Lewis' Director, Supply Chain Strategy in October 2011. She took up her current role in September 2015. Before joining the Partnership, Bérangère spent 11 years at the Royal Mail in a number of finance roles, including Finance Director of the property division. John Lewis Partnership - All directors John Lewis Partnership Home > About us > The Partnership > Governing authorities > Partnership Board > All directors Partnership Board Our Partnership Board is different to most other Boards, bringing relevant skills and experience to the table through a mix of appointed and democratically elected Partners. The Partnership Board is responsible for the overall management and performance of the Partnership and operates within a framework of prudent and effective controls, which enable risk to be assessed and managed. It is collectively responsible for the success of the Partnership and operates within a framework of reserved matters, delegations and assurance. Chairman view | close biography Sir Charlie Mayfield became the Partnership's fifth Chairman in March 2007. He joined the Partnership in 2000 as Head of Business Development, responsible for business strategy and development for both John Lewis and Waitrose.

Sir Charlie joined the Board as Development Director in 2001 and was responsible for developing the Partnership's online strategy. He became Managing Director of John Lewis in January 2005 prior to taking up his appointment as Chairman of the Partnership in March 2007. Sir Charlie began his career as an officer in the army. He joined SmithKline Beecham in 1992 and became Marketing Manager for the Lucozade brand, before moving to McKinsey & Co in 1996. Charlie is the Government appointed Chair of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, President of the Employee Ownership Association and a Director of Central Surrey Health Trustee Limited. Charlie was knighted in June 2013 for services to business. Keith Williams Deputy Chairman view | close biography Keith joined the Partnership Board as a non-executive director in March 2014 and took up the role of Deputy Chairman in April 2016. Prior to this appointment Keith was Chief Executive of British Airways, retiring from the role in March 2016. He has worked for a range of major corporations including Reckitt and Coleman, Apple Computer Inc and Boots.

He is also Independent Non-Executive Director of Transport for London. Tom Athron Group Development Director view | close biography Responsible for considering the future shape of the Partnership, including new business opportunities and all activities within Group. Tom Athron joined the Waitrose Board in August 2009 as Finance Director. Prior to this he was Buying Director at John Lewis, responsible for Electricals and Home Technology. He joined the Partnership in July 2005 as Head of Group Financial Strategy reporting to the Finance Director. He took up his current role in October 2015. Tom started his career in investment banking as a graduate trainee in credit finance and structured debt at Hambros. After completing his MBA in 1999 he joined Javelin Group, a consulting firm specialising in retail and e-commerce strategy, where he worked with clients including BT, Marks & Spencer, B&Q, and Littlewoods. Jane Burgess Partners' Counsellor view | close biography Jane joined the John Lewis Partnership as an A level Trainee in 1975. After a successful career as a personnel manager, she left in 1988 to start a family.

She returned in 1993 as a personnel manager in Waitrose. In 1998, Jane became a project manager and was responsible for the move of the Partnership's computer centre from London to Bracknell. She became Divisional Registrar and a member of the Waitrose Management Board in October 2002 where she was responsible for making sure the Principles of the Partnership were an integral part of the Waitrose business. In April 2009 she moved to the role of Deputy Partners' Counsellor and in October 2012 took up her role as Partners' Counsellor. Her main responsibility is to challenge and encourage every Partner to play their role as co-owners, seeking to ensure that the Partnership is true to its principles and compassionate to individual Partners. Chris Coburn Partner Communications Manager - Personnel, Waitrose view | close biography Chris joined the Partnership as a Christmas temp in late 2011 working as a Selling Partner in Peter Jones. He secured a permanent role and joined the management training programme before being voted on to the Branch Council to represent the section manager community.

Chris went on to work in the Peter Jones staff training department and was voted to represent Peter Jones on the divisional John Lewis Council before becoming responsible for the shop's in-house magazine and news service and then being elected to represent Peter Jones Partners on the Partnership Council in 2012. He joined the Partner Group – a sub committee of the Council – in 2013 and became its Chair later that year. Before joining the Partnership, Chris's career was mainly in sports retail including positions with Lillywhites of Piccadilly Circus. Chris joined the Board in 2015. Rob Collins Managing Director, Waitrose view | close biography Managing Director of Waitrose, the supermarket division of the employee-owned John Lewis Partnership. Rob joined the Partnership as a graduate trainee in 1993. He started in the John Lewis Oxford Street store and progressed to a number of roles, including Managing Director of Aberdeen and Cribbs Causeway (Bristol) stores. Rob was John Lewis Director of Selling Support from 2005 until 2007 when he moved to Waitrose as Director, e-Commerce. After three years he was promoted to the Waitrose Management Board as Personnel Director in 2010.

Rob was Retail Director in 2012 and became Managing Director in April 2016. A graduate of Edinburgh University, where he read Spanish and Business Studies, Rob spent a year working for leading textile firm, Coats Viyella, in Argentina. Steve Gardiner Branch Manager, Waitrose Cirencester view | close biography Steve joined the Partnership in 1996 as a Management Trainee for Waitrose. His training took him to branches in Petersfield and Godalming and was subsequently appointed as Department Manager to Waitrose West Byfleet. Steve managed branches in Coulsdon and Weybridge before being appointed as Branch Manager at Waitrose Cirencester. Whilst at Cirencester Steve has completed several secondment roles, including managing Waitrose Barry and Waitrose Buxton following their acquisition to Waitrose and most recently as the Registrar for Group L. Steve's active involvement in the democratic structure began in 2009 when he was elected as one of the Partnership Councillors for Waitrose Group G. Steve joined the Board in May 2012 and sits on the Remuneration Committee and Chairman's Nominations Committee.

Prior to joining the Partnership, Steve held management positions in Safeway and Marks & Spencer's as well as a variety of roles in the hotel and hospitality industry. Denis Hennequin Non-executive Director view | close biography Denis joined the Partnership Board as non-executive director in March 2014. He is Chairman of the Remuneration Committee. Denis began his career at McDonald's, becoming President of McDonald's Europe in 2005 where he was responsible for 6,600 restaurants in 40 countries. He was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Accor, the worldwide hotel group, until 2013. He became a non-executive director of Eurostar in 2012 and is also Chairman of e-house (Eurostar Hotels), Non-Executive Director of Select Service Partners Limited, Director of Cojean Restaurant Investments, Chief Executive Officer of Cojean International Limited and Non-Executive Director of '1001fontaines'. Baroness Hogg Non-executive Director view | close biography Sarah joined the Partnership Board as non-executive director in February 2011.

She is Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee and sits on the Remuneration Committee and Chairman's Nominations Committee. Sarah has worked at a high level in business, government and media. She was Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council until May 2014. Sarah is Non-Executive Director of BG Group plc, Lead independent Director of HM Treasury, Member of the Takeover Panel, Independent National Director of The Times and was head of the Prime Minister's Policy Unit from 1990-1995. She was created a Life Peer in the 1995 New Year's Honours List. Tracey Killen Director of Personnel view | close biography As Director of Personnel, Tracey Killen is responsible for all areas of personnel policy within the Partnership, including the identification and development of future talent. Tracey has spent her working life with the Partnership. She joined as an A-Level Trainee in 1982 at John Lewis Bristol where, after several retail roles, she became Staff Manager in 1992.

In 1995 she moved to John Lewis High Wycombe as Merchandise Manager and later that year was appointed General Manager Bristol and then General Manager Cribbs Cuseway when the Bristol shop relocated there in 1998. Tracey was promoted to Managing Director, John Lewis Cribbs Causeway in 2000 and became Personnel Director for John Lewis in July 2002. She took up her appointment as the Partnership's Director of Personnel in April 2007. Tracey is a member of the Roffey Park Board of Trustees. Patrick Lewis Group Finance Director view | close biography Patrick joined the John Lewis Partnership in 1994, after initial postings in John Lewis High Wycombe, Peter Jones and John Lewis Welwyn he was appointed Merchandise Manager in 1996 and in 1997 became acting General Manager at John Lewis Watford. Patrick went on to being Managing Director, George Henry Lee and then Cheadle in 2000 after which he became Project Director, Simplification in April 2002 and then Supply Chain Director (John Lewis) in December of the same year.

Patrick became Director, Retail Operations in April 2007. In 2009 Patrick took up the role of Partners' Counsellor and subsequently, in October 2012 became Managing Director, Partnership Services. He took up his current role in September 2015. Prior to joining the Partnership Patrick was Associate Consultant with Bain & Company, later becoming 'Promoted Consultant'. He then became Finance Manager at Proctor and Gamble. He has an MBA from INSEAD. Kim Lowe Managing Director, John Lewis Bluewater view | close biography Kim Lowe joined the Partnership in 1982 as a Selling Assistant at John Lewis Nottingham, where she served in a number of roles. In 1989 she moved to John Lewis Aberdeen as Department Manager, Perfumery. She was appointed Assistant General Manager in 2001 and Operations Selling Manager in 2004. In 2007 she was promoted to General Manager, John Lewis Aberdeen. Kim was subsequently Managing Director, John Lewis Glasgow and is currently Managing Director, John Lewis Bluewater a post she has held since 2014.

Kim has been a Partnership Councillor since 2005, having previously served as a Branch Councillor at John Lewis Aberdeen. She was elected to the Partnership Board in 2007 and sits on the Nomination, Remuneration and Audit and Risk Committees. Baiju Naik Branch Manager, Waitrose Kings Road view | close biography Baiju joined the Partnership in September 1997 on the Waitrose Graduate Trainee programme. He was appointed as Department Manager in 1999 at Holloway Road and was promoted to Branch Manager in 2005. He has since been a manager at various branches and has also opened a new branch, before moving to his current branch, Kings Road, in 2013. Baiju was elected to Partnership Council in 2009 and was re-elected in 2012. Baiju joined the Board in April 2015. Lucy Parks Editor, John Lewis Chronicles, Group Victoria view | close biography Lucy joined the Partnership in 2002 as Editor of the John Lewis Oxford Street Chronicle after a 20-year career in local and national newspapers.

She became Editor, Chronicles in 2006 as the central and professional point of contact for all the Partnership's local journalism. Soon after, she became Branch Forum representative for the Communications directorate and then, in 2009, was elected as Partnership Councillor for Group Offices. Lucy served two terms representing her division, from 2009-2015. During that time she became Editor, John Lewis Chronicles, responsible for the 33 John Lewis Chronicle news services. Lucy joined the Board in April 2015.

John Lewis boss voted UK's 'most admired' leader - Telegraph Retail and Consumer John Lewis boss voted UK's 'most admired' leader Andy Street, who has led high street retailer John Lewis for the past seven years, is the UK's most admired company boss in 2014, according to the largest peer review of its kind Andy Street, who has been managing director of John Lewis for the last seven years, is Britain's most admired company boss Photo: EPA By Rebecca Burn-Callander , Enterprise Editor 5:00AM GMT 01 Dec 2014 Follow High street retailer John Lewis, which reported a record week for sales driven by the “Black Friday” consumer spending spree, has cemented its place as the UK’s most-beloved retailer. Its managing director, Andy Street, has been named Britain’s most admired leader in a new report, which surveyed bosses at the UK’s most successful companies. Street, a lifer at John Lewis, impressed his peers with his leadership savvy, according to business magazine Management Today , which compiled the research.

John Lewis’ turnover overtook rival M&S's UK sales last year, hitting £9bn, and Street’s £7m spend on a Christmas ad featuring Sam, a little boy, and his best friend Monty the Penguin, has also proved a smash hit with shoppers. The ad has now received 18m views on Youtube. Street told MT that his success in the Most Admired leader category is down to the accessibility of John Lewis. “We have anticipated the changes in our customers’ behaviour – their tastes and practices – and we’ve acted and stayed ahead of the curve.” Related Articles John Lewis boss apologises for saying France is 'doomed' 03 Oct 2014 Street seized the “most admired” crown from Sainsbury’s boss Justin King, last year’s winner of the accolade. He has even beaten stiff competition within his own organisation, outranking Sir Charlie Mayfield, John Lewis chairman. “John Lewis is the post-crash darling of the UK high street,” Matthew Gwyther, Management Today editor, told the Daily Telegraph. “It is on a real roll at the moment.

In a dog-eat-dog retail world of horse meat scandals, zero hours contracts, suppliers waiting 100 days to get paid and empty high streets, JLP is the act people admire and wish to emulate.” John Lewis’s has frequently appeared in the headlines for its successful use of the employee ownership model but Street has also courted his fair share of controversy. Earlier this year, he was forced to publicly apologise for an outburst in which he called France “sclerotic, hopeless and downbeat”. Despite the negative publicity that ensued, Street has managed to maintain his reputation as the “gentleman retailer”. John Lewis took 24.8pc of the free vote, in which companies vote for their favourite firms, regardless of sector, beating Rolls-Royce, Unilver and Dyson by some margin. In the official ranking, in which firms can only judge their peers, John Lewis comes fifth. The overall winner of Britain’s Most Admired Company is Johnson Matthey, the world’s largest maker of automotive catalytic converters. High street retailer Next took second place, despite its profit warning earlier this year. In third place, EasyJet beat rival Ryanair by 82 places.

The Management Today Britain’s Most Admired Companies research is calculated by asking the largest companies in 26 different sectors to name their leading ten peers across nine criteria, ranging from the quality of management, the company’s performance as an investment, the quality of its goods and services and the company’s financial soundness. This is the 24th year of the report.

Question: Andy Street is the Managing Director of which major retailer?
Answer: JOHN LEWIS